Environment Minister Amy Adams and
Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith have today announced the
appointment of eight board members to the Auckland Unitary
Plan hearings panel.

The Auckland Unitary Plan will be the
first combined resource management plan for Auckland and
will replace the regional policy statement, and the regional
and district plans that Auckland Council inherited from the
eight former councils of the Auckland region.

“It
represents the largest planning exercise in the history of
New Zealand, and will have significant implications for
Auckland and New Zealand’s environmental and economic
performance,” the Ministers say.

“The Auckland Unitary
Plan hearings panel has an important role to play in shaping
the future of Auckland. The panel will hear submissions and
make recommendations to the Auckland Council on the proposed
plan.”

The panel members have expertise in a wide range
of disciplines including law, economics, resource management
planning, local government and Tikanga Māori.

The panel
was appointed following consultation with Auckland Council
and the Independent Maori Statutory Board. The Ministers
thanked those entities for their constructive involvement in
the process to select the panel members.

The panel will be
chaired by David Kirkpatrick, a resource management
barrister who has significant experience in consenting and
planning.

Mr Kirkpatrick has chaired high profile consent
applications and has appeared in front of several Boards of
Inquiry.

The other panel members are Des Morrison, Janet
Crawford, Paula Hunter, John Kirikiri, Stuart Shepherd, Greg
Hill and Peter Fuller.

Biographies of Board
Members

David Kirkpatrick (Chair): Mr
Kirkpatrick is an experienced resource management barrister,
with extensive experience in consenting and planning
appeals. He is an accredited independent hearings
commissioner, and has chaired council hearings, including a
number of high profile consent applications. He also has
expert litigation experience, having appeared before consent
authorities and Boards of Inquiry.

Des Morrison: Mr
Morrison is a former Auckland Councillor, during which time
he was Chair of the Rural Advisory Panel and Regulatory
Bylaws Committee. Mr Morrison also served as ward councillor
for Franklin District and has extensive business experience
including General Manager at New Zealand Steel/BHP New
Zealand Steel.

Janet Crawford: Ms Crawford is a
resource management consultant with expertise in mediation
and facilitation. She is a co-founder of the Mediators
Institute of New Zealand. Ms Crawford’s previous
employment includes Research Associate at Harvard
University, and Senior Research Fellow at Waikato and Massey
University. Ms Crawford is a winner of the NZ Planning
Institute Distinguished Service Award.

Paula Hunter
is a planning consultant at MWH with extensive experience in
district and regional plan development and specialist skills
in structure planning, managing and staging growth and
aligning infrastructure requirements. Ms Hunter's recent
work includes strategic advisor for the Hamilton City
District Plan review. Ms Hunter is a winner of the NZPI
Distinguished Service Award and an accredited independent
Hearings Commissioner.

John Kirikiri: Mr Kirikiri
has Tikanga Māori expertise in an RMA and emergency
management context. He is a qualified independent hearings
commissioner and is an independent commissioner for Auckland
Council. He is a former Deputy Mayor of Rodney District
Council and a former member of the Hibiscus and Bay’s
Local Board.

Stuart Shepherd: Mr Shepherd is a
director at the Sapere Research Group and provides advice on
regulatory economics, business strategy, and public policy.
His work as an economist has primarily focussed on
infrastructure including economic regulation in the airport,
electricity, gas and telecommunications sectors. Mr
Shepherd’s previous employment includes roles at Vector
and Telecom.

Greg Hill: Mr Hill is a resource
management consultant, an accredited independent hearings
chair and commissioner. He has significant experience in
chairing council hearings and technical expertise in air,
land, water and coastal policy issues. He was previously a
General Manager of Policy and Planning at Auckland Regional
Council, and a principal author of the Auckland Regional
Coastal Plan.

Peter Fuller: Mr Fuller is a
Barrister with experience and qualifications in resource
management law, planning, environmental management, and
horticultural science. He has appeared before council
hearings, the Environment Court, and the High Court. Mr
Fuller is an accredited RMA Commissioner and was formally a
Strategic Policy Analyst at the Auckland Regional Council,
and project leader on the Auckland Regional Growth
Strategy.

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